


Reindeer

by F1_rabbit



Series: The ABCs of Winter [18]
Category: Motorcycling RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 15:30:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8897110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/F1_rabbit/pseuds/F1_rabbit
Summary: Dani gets an unexpected gift from Marc, and he doesn't know what to do about it.





	

Dani watched the snow fall outside his window, he could hear his parents talking downstairs, and from the sound of running water, Eric was awake and getting a shower.

He glanced down at his phone, scrolling through messages, but he couldn't focus. The smell of coffee drifted up to him, and he got out of bed with a groan, rushing to throw his dressing gown on over his pyjamas.

Dani stifled a yawn as his mama handed him a cup of coffee, sitting down on one of the kitchen stools that seemed to be a pain to get on to, but he was too lazy to find out the step that he used to get things out of the high cupboards. He sipped at his coffee as Eric wandered into the kitchen, a tiny towel wrapped around his waist as Dani shivered on his behalf.

"Are you not cold?"

"No." Eric rushed up for a hug, his skin warm against his own as Eric rested his chin on top of his head.

Dani let himself be held, he always felt tiny compared to his baby brother, but right now he was glad to have his family around. Even if they were all fussing over him as though he was an invalid.

Eric sat down next to him, the kitchen stool no challenge for him, and he reached out for a churro, pushing the plate so that it was in front of Dani.

Dani smiled, eating slowly as he let the coffee do its job, waking him up so that he could manage a whole conversation rather than just nodding as Eric told him about his life.

There was a knock on the door, and Eric got up to get it.

"Sit, you can't answer the door like that, you'll catch your death." Dani slid off the stool, taking his coffee with him as he stumbled towards the door.

He caught sight of himself, his hair ruffled and sticking out at funny angles, the bags under his eyes, and he really hoped that it wasn't someone stopping by to chat to him.

Dani was glad when he saw a man holding a cardboard box, about the size of a phone book, when there was such things.

"Morning. Dani Pedrosa?"

"That's me."

Dani scrabbled to sign the little digital screen, his signature bearing no resemblance to what appeared on it.

"Thank you." The messenger handed him the box, and Dani stared at it with confusion.

It was light, and Dani couldn't help but rattle it as he shut the door, tucking it under his arm as he wandered back through to the kitchen, sipping at his coffee to help assemble his thoughts.

"Who's it for?" Eric asked, trying not to smile as Dani struggled to get back on to the stool.

"Me."

"Who's it from?"

Dani looked at the box, but there was no sign of a return address, and the handwriting wasn't familiar. He shrugged, leaving the box sitting on the counter as he took another bite of the churro. 

"Are you not going to open it?" Eric was staring at him, and Dani knew that he wasn't able to say no to him.

"Fine, it's probably something from the sponsors." Dani smiled, aware that all eyes were on him as his parents came to sit with him.

He used a knife to cut the tape, and he opened the box to reveal red tissue paper wrapped around something. There was a hint of something familiar, something citrusy and warm, but he couldn't quite place it, and he had a grin on his face as he peeled back the paper.

Dani laughed when he saw what was inside. A Christmas jumper.

It was folded perfectly to fit into the box, a cheery reindeer smiling out at him, and Dani knew who had sent it just from the way that it was neatly arranged.

"Marc."

Eric reached over to take the jumper out of the box, and when he held it up Dani could see a little button that said 'press play'.

Dani was still reeling at the sight of the jumper, its pattern verging on migraine inducing as he stared at the smiling reindeer.

"Go on, press the button." Eric laid the jumper out on the table, moving the plate of churros out of the way so that everyone could see it.

Dani was still grinning when he pressed the button, sure that it was Marc's idea of a joke, and he laughed when the lights flashed.

But that wasn't all the button did.

"Merry Christmas Dani!" Marc's piercing laugh boomed out of the tiny speaker, still loud enough to startle everyone as they all giggled at it.

There was a click, and Dani was worried that the message might repeat, but there was the sound of rustling.

"You should just tell Dani how you feel, what's the worst that he can say?" Even though Dani didn't know Alex as well as he did Marc, he was sure that it was his voice.

"It's not like that, I just-"

The recording ended, and Dani was left staring at the flashing lights on the jumper as a blush crept on to his cheeks.

He could hear his mama thinking about saying something, and he knew that he was going to have to explain, but he couldn't face it.

Dani clicked the button to stop the lights flashing, his mind reeling about what to do with this new information.

"You should just tell Marc how you feel, what's the worst that he can say?" Eric smiled, and Dani reached out to playfully shove him.

"It's not like that…"

Dani laughed at himself, shaking his head as he looked up to see his parents waiting for an explanation.

"What is it like, sweetie?"

Dani realised that he'd just been staring into space, thinking about Marc, and the colour rushed on to his cheeks all over again, but his mama's voice jarred him out of his trance.

"I've had a crush on Marc for what feels like forever." Dani sipped at his coffee, unable to look anyone in the eye. "I've had crushes on guys before but they were always fleeting, gone before they could take hold, and then I met Marc."

Eric's hand was resting on his knee, letting him know that he was there for him without saying a word.

"So… I'm bisexual, and I think I'm in love with Marc but I'm too scared to tell him in case it ruins our friendship because the only thing worse than him not loving me back would be not having him in my life at all."

Dani took a deep breath, finding the courage to raise his eyes and look at his family. His parents reached out to rest their hands on his arm, and Dani felt tears well up in his eyes.

He'd carried this secret for so long and now he felt as though his mind was clear, their love making him stronger.

Dani watched as his mama picked up her phone, peering over her glasses as she typed out a message, and Dani felt his heart race when she got an immediate reply.

"Mama, you're not telling people are you?"

"No, I wouldn't do that sweetie." His mama rushed round to give him a hug, and Dani felt his heart rate slow, the panic fading as she held him. "Roser and Juliá invited us round for Christmas, and I was just checking that their invitation still stood."

Dani felt the panic return.

"You two go get dressed and we'll be there in time for lunch."

Dani tried to think of a reason why they shouldn't go, but all he could think about was what he was going to say to Marc.

*

The car journey felt like eternity, the roads clear as the sun shone down on him, the chill in the air the only thing that reminded him it was winter.

Eric talked about films and wine, deliberately avoiding the subject of Marc as Dani sat fidgeting with the hem of his cheesy Christmas jumper. He felt like the reindeer was watching him, and he wished that he'd found the courage to tell Marc before now.

The crunch of the gravel in the driveway had Dani's heart racing, his palms sweaty even though the air was cool, but he didn't have to force a smile, he was going to see Marc.

Roser and Juliá were waiting for them at the door, Alex towering over them as he waved to Dani, and Dani craned his neck trying to look for Marc.

There were hugs all round, and Dani was being ushered to the living room as Eric followed.

Marc was sat playing video games, and Dani wanted to make a joke about him always working, but he couldn't get the words out. Dani ended up sitting next to him, Eric and Alex hemming them in on the sofa so that their arms and legs were touching.

Alex was telling them all about Superprestigio, while Marc finished his game, oblivious to the world around him as Juliá brought through coffee and cake.

Everyone made themselves comfy as Marc put the controller down, finally noticing Dani sitting next to him.

"Dani, you wore the jumper." Marc laughed, rushing in for a hug, wrapping him up in his arms as he sneakily pressed the button on the jumper, laughing more as the lights on the jumper started to flash.

Dani froze in horror, Marc only laughing more as his own voice rang out.

"Merry Christmas Dani!" Marc's piercing laugh sounded louder this time round, even though Dani was expecting it this time, and Marc's family laughed.

Dani was frantically pressing at the button on the jumper, trying to make it stop, but Marc's laugh was still coming out of the jumper. He tried to muffle it with his hand, but it was no use.

"You should just tell Dani how you feel, what's the worst that he can say?"

"It's not like that, I just-"

Dani sat with his cheeks burning, Marc's eyes were wide and his smile had faded, his mouth hanging open as he started at Dani.

"I should go check on lunch," Roser said, as everyone else followed.

Everyone except Alex.

"Alex, can you show Eric the new car?" Juliá asked, and Dani saw Alex think about objecting before scurrying out of the room, a grin on his face as he winked at Marc.

Once they were alone, Marc shuffled so that he was facing Dani on the sofa, and he reached out to stroke the side of Dani's face, tilting his chin up so that their eyes met.

"I didn't realise it had recorded that." Marc's tongue teased at his teeth, his smile returning to his face.

"I figured that." Dani wanted to laugh, but his mind was still racing, was Marc just going to laugh it all off as a joke?

"Why did you wear it?"

Dani thought about lying, he knew it was silly to wear the jumper, but he hadn't thought anyone would press the button.

"It smells of you." Dani was surrounded by Marc's scent now, the familiarity of it always brought a smile to his face.

Marc's lips were hovering next to his, and Dani knew that he didn't have to say anything. All the longing glances, the hugs that lasted a little too long to just be friendly, and the way that their arms and legs always rested so that they were touching each other. Just like now.

Dani leant in for a kiss, Marc's lips soft against his own, his tongue flicking at his lips as he deepened the kiss, eating up every gasp.

Marc rested his forehead against Dani's, his warm brown eyes staring into his soul as he held his hand, their fingers intertwined.

"You've no idea how long I've been waiting to do that."

**Author's Note:**

> *and obviously none of this actually happened, it is all a figment of my twisted imagination ;)


End file.
